the cavalier coat

[rhiaaswan]

I would like to know a bit more about the cavalier coat as i have heard different things. My cav is nearly 2 years old, he has been neutered. He has a lovely silky coat (not purfuse either) which i brush everyday. I very rarley bath him, maybe once every 4 months. He is a normal weight and I feed him on "natures diet".
What my question is, is I have heard that his coat will get thicker and fluffier as he gets older, is this true? I also wondered I they get a fluffer coat if they get fat. I exercise my dog everyday for an hour. I also am starting agility with him soon. I would like his coat to remain as it is. Does the amount of exercise your dog has effect the coat?

[sramirez]

Both of my cavaliers (not related) have entirely different coats. I usually take Sasha to the groomers in the spring/fall so she doesn't shed quite as much - she has really fluffy fur. My other cav, Sophie has tiny hair - she doesn't seem to have any undercoat much, and it's just so nice to just run a brush thru. I use shampoo from my groomer's on them both and bathe them about every 4-6 wks.

Sheri R.

[Cathy T]

Your dog looks like he has a beautiful body shape, nice and lean not fat at all. Jake's coat was pretty much where it was going to stay at 2 years old, very thick. Shelby at 2 1/2 is pretty much done and her coat is not nearly as thick as Jake's. Makes grooming her a heck of a lot easier. Both of mine get bathed every two weeks. Once at the groomer's, for trimming, and once by me. Wish we could get away with less but by 3 weeks they get a bit stinky.

[jo]

I've got a question that is related to this topic (kind of). After looking at all the other photos on this site I've noticed that the ears on all the other lovely cavs look really thick, long and wavey. Maisie (nearly 4mths old) has slightly long bits at the bottom of the ears which curl in wet weather, but the top parts of her ears look like a my hair after a good night out! (sticky out and fuzzy) At what age are they likely to get that lovely long wavey cavalier look? Or am I going to have to get her some doggy rollers??

Jo
Maisie (ruby)

I am only joking about the rollers by the way.

[Cathy T]

Her ears will most likely grow out long. I say that because I know of two blenheims whose ears never did grow long. That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you've tried gets the knots out of Shelby's baby fine ears

[Karlin]

I got my tri at 10 months and he already had very full easrs (tris and B&Ts tend to have thicker coats and longer ears I think -- black coat tends to come in heavier and longer). Jaspar (blenheim) has ears that grow far more slowlt. His ears are about an inch or more shorter than leo's and not nearly as full, though they are about the same age.

So the answer is, overall it depends on the individual dog and its genetic inheritence, but also coat colour does have some relevance sometimes too.

The short answerr is, ears start to fill out starting from around 6-7 months or so I think, going by the poctures we've posted over time.

[Claire]

Busta is two in May and he has longish fur on his body, a great tail and it getting more feathers.

Woody is one, doesn't have much fur on his ears or his body, but has a great tail and bum feathers.

Ozzy is 5 and a half month, getting more fur on ears and feathering on legs.

The breeder said that there are still growing up to 18 months.

[Maxxs_Mummy]

Charlie is 2 and is now getting a lovely coat on him. It has taken 5 mths of a decent diet and plenty of regular grooming to get his coat to look so silky and soft. It was very brittle and scraggly when we had him

Maxx is almost 7 and his coat is so fluffy and shaggy that he looks really, really fat! He has been on a strict diet after gaining loads of weight (hubby was unbeknown to me, giving him a slice of buttered toast for his breakfast every morning at 5am ) and I thought he still had a way to go until I bathed him last week - he looks quite small now underneath his afro of a coat

He's back at the vets next week for a weigh-in and more tablets so hopefully he will be at an OK weight again now

[JaneB]

Claire,
I was laughing out loud while reading about your guys feathers. It reminded me of something my almost 4 grandson said last week. After bathing the girls I was brushing them out while we were gathered in our sunroom. I was telling my husband how pretty I thought Fauna's feathers were getting. My grandson looked at me like I was simple minded and said, "Grammy, you are so silly! Dogs don't have feathers, BIRDS have feathers. Fauna has fur!" Out of the mouths of babes. . .

JaneB

[Claire]

Well sometimes I think they have a better view on things.....